This weekend the garden goes in. This weekend I plant peas. I love peas.

There is a ritual to eating peas. Prick one, tiny, round green orb with the tine of a fork. If you have the talent and if you have the patience, you can slide one single sphere onto each tine. This may take the use of your fingers. A very delicate pressure placed on the tender pea so as not to crush even one. POP the skin bursts allowing the thick creamy meat to ooze out and you must start the process over again after licking the sweetness off of your fingertips. Oh maybe a double row, if one is thoroughly daring. Or three. How many peas will each tine hold? Then admire your handiwork. Show off just a little. Wave the fork around a bit; don't worry if the food gets cold. Peas are delightful cool, as well. Build up to the final movement, the denouement. Expectations high. Slide the fork between eager lips, place the rows of peas upon the tongue. Very gently, mouth closed but lightly, then softly slide those peas off of the fork.

Or by the spoonful. Peas swimming in salty butter, dusted with a shower of fine salt crushed between your fingertips. Or just a light dusting of pepper. Teaspoon? Tablespoon? Soupspoon? Pick out any other vegetables. Push the tiny cubes of carrot off to the side of the plate; today we are in a round, green mood. Grasp the spoon tightly in one hand and press the bowl to the surface of the plate. Tilt ever-so slightly towards you then, using the pad of your thumb, push as many peas as will fit into the bowl of your spoon into the upturned, expectant utensil. Coordinate this perfectly with the graceful movement of the spoon itself, lifting, a slow, gentle, sweeping curve, as the spoon is filled with peas. And you are ready to eat.

Sidenote - Flicking peas off the tip of a spoon at each other across the dining room table. Catapult. Fun.

Haha, I don't normally like peas, but you might have just converted me! If I enjoy eating them at all, it's usually when they're frozen (how my mom used to feed them to us). I'm much more of a corn, carrot and broccoli person, but maybe I should give peas a second chance??

Love it! Peas are the best. I remember as a kid, going into the garden, picking a pea pod, opening it up...and eating the raw peas one by one. Of course, butter and salt is obviously amazing as well. :)

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